, 1887-06-19

There is a large, attractive library in the
building, supplied with about 5000 volumes,
various magazines and papers, besides which
the students draw books from the Mercantile
library In the city. There is also a pretty
little theatre where interesting pantonimic
performances are held. One young man Is
especially apt in this kin of acting. He can
represent the death of Jumbo most patheti-
cally md tile antics of a buffalo in an cleo
trical eel pond most amusingly. The stage
curtains are the pupils own handiwork and
snow no small ability in scene painting.
A wonderful change takes place in the stu
dents after they have been in this institution
a short time. They come with minds i'm
prisoned. The avenue of communication
with the rest of the world closed, they have
no language, and only a few ideas which they
can make known by signs to their immediate
friends. The first thing to be done is to give
them n vocabulary and the means of using 1t.
They are taught three modes of expression,
the sign language, tho deaf and dumb alpha
bet and the written word. In q little while
they can express their thoughts in writing
and begin to gather knowledge from the
world of books.
Some cases when brought there seem hope
less How can n person who never heard n
sound nor saw one ray of light be made TO
know what is passing in the world around
him and to understand the thoughts of other
peopls7 Yet it Is done. There Is one young
man in the Institution now who has been
thus liberated from q world of darkness and
brought into contact with his fellow beings.
He hus been taught both tho sign language
and the deaf and dumb alphabet. By placing
his han upon the hand OF the person speak
ing to him he readily understands what signs
arc being made and answers with his other
hand. he has also been taught to operate a
typewriter. At q recent meeting of the di-
rcctors Of tho institution he wrote tho follow
ing letter on the platform before the nu-
dience;
Today is the anniversary OF our institution. It
is sixty-nine years old. We nro thankful to the
state and directors for this school. We came
hero without knowledge. We have since learned
much. We have been learning q good trade.
VIC shall be able to support ourselves when we
leave school. shall support myself By bottom
Ing chairs 1 nm both blind and deaf, but l am
not unhappy TRY to be o good boy.
EICHARp T. CLINTON.
A series of careful tests had shown that
s,vcnty-four of the pupils in attendance Mt
the institution possessed q sensitiveness to and
appreciation Of voice sounds suflcientto war
rant tho attempt to develop md cultivate, by
means of instrumental aid, their latent hear
ing, and to render it available to educational
purposes. An eur piece and tube, devised by
Professor Currier, made 1t possible for the
pupil to hear his own voice as well os that of
his teacher, so that the same course as that
pursued in teaching the hearing child to at
tach significance to sounds could be fol.
lowed. These pupils had been under the
charge of Professor CGrrier, assisted by three
lady teachers, and the results, as attested by
tho examination, were equal to the most san.
guine expectations.
Ono of the most important features OF this
school is that it does not stop with mental
and moral training. 1t goes on to give n
manual training TINT shall fit each pupil who
goes out from them 10 work side by side with
hearing people, i'll the worlds workshops.
Tho boys ore taught printing, cab me- max
ing, carpentering, shoemaEing, gardening
and tailoring; the girls, tailoring, dressmak-
ing, shirtmaking and general sewing.
Seine are fitting themselves for teaching.
On girl, when asked what she expected 20
do when she left school. wrote that she
thought the noblest work she could choose
was teaching the deaf and dumb. and for this
she was trying to prepare herself.
Some pupils prefer the more
industries, and these are admitted to tho art
department, which is becoming the pride of
the institution.